----- Original Message -----
From: "Horrocks, Aaron" <ACHb@pge.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2001 3:21 PM
Subject: [MV] M38A1 Brakes
> I am now unable to remove the drum brake covers. Cleaner, WD-40 and hammer
> have been unsuccessful. There are three flat head screws in this drum
> between the wheel bolts, are these what is holding on the brake drum? They
> are rusted tight in there, and I'm going to strip them out if I try to
> remove 'em with any more force. Should I try a torch to heat things up to
> remove those three screws? I really don't know what to do to remove these.
> Will I need to drill them out?
>
I do not know the vehicle type, however, it is common to find anything from one
to three countersunk screws holding the drum onto the flange; they actually do
nothing except keep the drum in place when the wheel is off and are customarily
awkward to remove.
For any situation like this an effective trick to ease the corrosion and loosen
the screw is to strike it squarely several times, as if driving it in, using a
good drift or punch that is nearly the same diameter as the screw head, a short
piece of good quality steel bar turned with a true face is ideal for the bigger
items together with (what we call) a lump hammer to achieve some solid blows.
The item needs to be appropriately and firmly supported of course.
The use of an impact screwdriver is also handy and often actually applying
impact torque to do it up further alternately with the opposite will, after a
few of attempts, have it then unscrew.
Some patience and penetrating oil is also helpful; pink diesel is a very
effective and cheap substitute for actual penetrating oil.
The technique can be applied to all manner and sizes of screws (including
recalcitrant wood screws) with appropriate scaling of the punch and hammer size.
Richard
Southampton - England
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